There is provided by the present invention a roller for inserting filler material in crevices, and more particularly there is provided by the present invention a roller for inserting material in crevices between concrete blocks or panels over which there can be applied a room temperature vulcanizable silicone rubber composition to seal the crevice.
It is noted that high-rise buildings are usually constructed of concrete blocks or prefabricated sections or panels which are brought together to prescribed proximity to allow for expansion, contraction and room for an expansion joint. It is also noted in the fabrication of buildings from cinder blocks, concrete blocks or bricks, that in the fabrication of walls that there may be formed crevices between adjacent walls. In the case of concrete blocks or panels, such crevices in the fabrication of walls is more apparent. The concrete blocks or Panels are fabricated next to each other with a slot between the blocks for an expansion joint. Normally, there arises a crevice distance between the concrete blocks of anywhere from a 1/4" to 11/2" or more in width. Accordingly, it is necessary then to seal such concrete blocks to each other to prevent the passage of the elements as well as heat energy through the crevices between such concrete blocks and to allow for expansion and contraction. Accordingly, such sealing operation is carried out by inserting a filler material initially into the crevice between the concrete block and applying over the filler material a sealant which cures in place to form a seal. The reason the filler material is needed to be inserted into the crevices in that if no filler material is utilized the entire thickness of the concrete blocks would have to be filled with sealant resulting in unnecessarily excessive, costly use of sealant, the operation being very expensive. Accordingly, in the sealing of such concrete blocks it is highly desirable to insert a filler material such as polyethylene rod or polyvinyl chloride rod or rod tubing of another material in the crevice so that it will serve as a backup there and keep the sealant that is applied thereover in the proper position to seal the concrete blocks to each other. It should be noted that any type of filler material may be utilized to be inserted to the crevice. There can be utilized cotton tubing, dacron tubing or nylon tubing. Most preferably both for the purpose of its function as filler material and also in terms of cost there is preferred polyethylene tubing and polyvinylchloride tubing. Preferably, such tubing has a slightly larger diameter than the crevice so it can be forced into the crevice and stay in place so as to support the sealant that is applied thereover to seal the crevice. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a roller apparatus or article which can insert the filler material in the crevice with ease and economy, so that it will take as little time as possible to position the filler material in the crevice. Further it has been found that in the application of silicone sealants that it is highly desirable for crevice openings varying from 1/4" to 3/4" that the depth of silicone sealant be approximately 1/2 the size of the width of the crevice in which the silicone sealant is applied. For crevice openings of more than 3/4", it is recommended and it has been found that the proper depth of silicone sealant that is to be applied in the crevice, be a constant 3/8" in depth or thickness since that depth or thickness of the sealant in its cure state will have the best strength in such sealing of crevices. Accordingly, for crevices of a width of anywhere from 1/4" to 3/4" in width and from 3/4" to 11/2" in width it is preferred to have the filler material inserted in the crevice such that the crevice depth on top of that filler material is 1/2 the size of the width for crevice openings up to 3/4" and that the crevice depth on top of the filler material be a maxium of 3/8" for crevice openings having a width from 3/4" to 11/2". If the filler material is so placed in the crevice and then the silicone sealant is applied and cured in position to seal the concrete blocks there is obtained a seal of maximum strength in adhering the concrete blocks to each other.
Accordingly, previously when the construction worker who inserted such filler material and sealant was utilized to seal crevices it was necessary for him to carry out the foregoing measurements in the placement of the filler material. In such cases the measurement of the filler material depth in the crevice by the construction worker was carried out in a haphazard fashion since it necessitated a constant measurement of the depth of the crevice to which the filler material was inserted by the construction worker and also resulted in the unnecessary expenditure of time in the sealing of such crevice. Accordingly, it was highly desirable to have an apparatus which would speedily and easily force the filler material into the crevice between concrete blocks at the proper depth for the application of room temperature vulcanizable silicone rubber sealant to seal the crevice between the concrete blocks. It should be noted that while most of the above discussion has been concerned with the sealing of crevices in concrete blocks, such a roller apparatus could also be utilized to insert a backer rod between cinder block walls, brick walls, and all types of masonry walls in which there was present a sizable crevice between masonry walls and other types of walls. It should also be noted that while in the above discussion the application as a sealant of a room temperature vulcanizable silicone rubber compositions was discussed a roller apparatus could also be utilized with modifications for sealing with other types of sealants other than silicone sealants such as polysulfide sealants.
Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide for inserting a filler to the proper depth in crevices for the application of a sealant thereover.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a roller article for inserting filler material in a crevice to the proper depth with ease and facility.
It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide an economical and inexpensive roller article for inserting filler material commonly known as backer rod to the proper depth in concrete crevices over which there can be applied a silicone sealant to seal the crevice.
Yet an additional object of the present invention is to provide for a roller article for inserting filler material to the proper depth in crevices, the roller article being simple and inexpensive to construct and which can be utilized for the use of silicone sealant in sealing crevices in concrete blocks.
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by means of the disclosure set forth herein below.